Apparatus for treating of tubular fabrics

ABSTRACT

THE APPARATUS INCLUDES IN SUCCESSION A FLOATING PILOT SPREADER FOR SPREADING A TUBULAR FABRIC FROM TWISTED ROPE SHAPE TO A FLOATING SPREADER FOR LATERALLY OVERSTRETCHING THE FABRIC, GUIDE MEANS PRECEDING THE OVERSTRETCHING SPREADER FOR ALIGNING THE PATTERN OF THE TUBULAR FABRIC AS IT IS FED ONTO THE SPREADER, ROLLS FOR TAKING THE FABRIC OFF THE SPREADER AND A CONVEYOR FOR CARRYING THE FABRIC TO A SUBSEQUENT FINISHING STEP, SUCH AS DRYING.

Nov. 2, 1971 E; I. ARONOFF APPARATUS FOR TREATING OF TUBULAR FABRICS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 10, 1969 i. 4/// 7/////////// J .T I 1 L 9% l :JHW\\., Q. m RQQSQ h O L r 3 MW k 1 8 38 m8 m a INVENTOR Edward I. ARONOFF A TTORNEY Nov. 2, 1971 E. I. ARONOFF APPARATUS FOR TREATING OF TUBULAR FABRICS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1969 YINVENTOR Edward I. ARONUFF Nov. 2, 1971 l. ARQNQFF 3,616,502

APPARATUS FCR TREATING 0F TUBULAR FABRICS Filed June 10, 1969 5 Sheets-Shoet L'- INVENTOR Eilwurd I. AmNOFF ATTORNEY Nov. 2, 1971 E. I. ARONOFF 3,616,502

APPARATUS FOR TREATING OF TUBULAR FABRICS Filed June 10, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I mvawron Edwu'rd I. ARONOFF alum Nov. 2, 197] E. ARONOFF APPARATUS FOR TREATING OF TUBULAR FABRICS Filed June 10, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 mi s N101: Edward I. ARONUFF ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,616,502 APPARATUS FOR TREATING OF TUBULAR FABRICS Edward I. Aronolf, 605 Dorais St., St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada Filed June 10, 1969, Ser. No. 831,956 Int. Cl. D06c /00 US. CI. 26-55 R 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The apparatus includes in succession a floating pilot spreader for spreading a tubular fabric from twisted rope shape to a floating spreader for laterally overstretching the fabric, guide means preceding the overstretching spreader for aligning the pattern of the tubular fabric as it is fed onto the spreader, rolls for taking the fabric off the spreader and a conveyor for carrying the fabric to a subsequent finishing step, such as drying.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating tubular knitted fabrics, and more particularly for reducing shrinkage in knitted fabrics.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART In the textile industry, knitted fabrics are either knitted in an elongated tubular form or are knitted in a flat condition and then sewn in a tubular form for subsequent treatment. The so-formed tube is then subjected to various wet-processing treatments such as bleaching, dyeing, scouring and so on.

During such continuous wet processing, the tube is pulled longitudinally thereby distorting the loops of the fabric in a longitudinal direction. If the fabric is set in this condition and made into garments, subsequent washing of the garment will allow the loops to contract from the overstretched loop condition, thereby causing the garment to shrink.

Heretofore, attempts have been made to overcome such shrinkage to varying degrees of success. Examples of such attempts are Redman, Canadian Pats. 489,141 and 489,324, 1952 (U.S Pats. 2,597,530 and 2,597,528, 1952). In these patents, Redman showed that shrinkage could be decreased if the loops were overstretched laterally and then relaxed to regain their original shape. Theoretically, this was the best known way in which to reduce shrinkage. However, the apparatus illustrated in the abovementioned patents does not accomplish an optimum reduction in shrinkage. The apparatus shown. is such that it causes longitudinal stretching of the loops in certain areas. For instance, the tubular fabric must be pulled over the laterally stretching rollers of Redman and this pulling is in the longitudinal direction.

There have been other attempts to reduce shrinkage in knitted tubular fabrics. An example is that described in Canadian Pats. 485,163 and 485,164, Cohn et al., 1952, (U.S. Pats. 2,589,244 and 2,589,345, Cohn et al., 1952).

In both of these patents, Cohn teaches that the fabric should be dried and then fed onto a frame having driven edge belts to move the fabric longitudinally in a laterally stretched condition without friction to reduce the longi tudinal tension on the fabric. However, since the stretching frame of Cohn et al. is of such longitudinal dimensions as is shown in these patents, it is not possible to overstretch the fabric laterally as taught by Redman, since the loops cannot be stretched in both directions at the same time. Rather Cohn tries to stretch the fabric laterally to the original width of the tubular fabric and attempts to set it at the original width.

It is an aim of the present invention to reduce shrinkage in knitted fabric efficiently and to an optimum degree.

3,616,502 Patented Nov. 2, 1971 ICC DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Generally, the apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a frame, means on said frame for opening a continuous. length of wet or dried tubular fabric, now in rope form, means on said frame for overstretching the tubular fabric lateral, said means including a form adapted to be located within the continuous length of tubular fabric, said form including belts adapted to contact the fabric, drive means cooperating with said belts to advance the fabric on the form at differential longitudinal speeds while the fabric is being overstretched, means for feeding the continuous tubular fabric by gravity to the form, means for taking off the tubular fabric from the form and allowing it to relax in the absence of lateral and longitudinal tension while advancing it to a subsequent finishing treatment.

More specifically, the present invention relates to the form for overstretching the fabric laterally on said frame comprising a fabric entry end and a fabric discharge end, a pair of side elements diverging outwardly from the entry end to the discharge end at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the form, each side element mounting successively located endless belts mounted on idler pulleys on said side elements, the belts being adapted to contact the inner edges of the flattened tubular fabric, said belts being so arranged on said side elements so that a first portion thereof adjacent said entry end is at a diverging angle and a successive portion. thereof is parallel to the longitudinal axis, a third portion thereof being at a diverging angle and a fourth successive portion being substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis, drive means cooperating with said belts at said second portion for driving said successive belts at differential speeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Having thus generally defined the nature of the invention, it will now be described in more detail with particular reference to the drawings illustrating for purposes of example a preferred embodiment, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross section taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation taken from the side opposite that shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section taken along line 6 6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of a detail of the an paratus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross section taken along line 99 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a vertical cross section taken along line Ill-10 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a plan view, partly in cross section of a further feature of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a vertical cross section taken along line 1212 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a vertical cross section taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 11; and

FIG. 14 is a vertical cross section taken along line 14-44 of FIG. 12.

When referring to overstretching of the tubular fabric what is meant is spreading the fabric in a longitudinal or lateral direction beyond the normal length or width of the fabric. For example, if in a normal condition the loops of the fabric have a substantially square configuration, then by stretching the fabric so that the loops collapse in the lateral direction, the fabric is being overstretched in that direction.

.Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings, there is shown a wet spreading apparatus including a preliminary opening device 12 onto which the fabric is pulled in a wet rope condition from a container 26. The fabric passes over a feed roller 14 and then by gravity down over the overstretching spreader 16. The takeoff rolls 18 receive the fabric at the discharge end and feed it onto the endless conveyor belt 20 to be fed to a further finishing operation.

All of the above devices are mounted on a frame 22 which includes a substantially upstanding portion 23 in an overhanging frame portion 24.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, illustrating in detail the preliminary opening device 12, there is shown a pair of transverse frame members 28 between which are provided brackets 30 mounting free rotating rollers 32. Rollers 32 support between them a floating bracket 34 comprising a plurality of rollers 36 which cooperate with the rollers 32 to maintain the stability of the floating bracket 34. Of course, the fabric F is passed between the rollers 32 and the floating bracket 34 and therefore the floating bracket 34 is within the tubular fabric in operation. From the floating bracket 34 hangs a rod 38 on which is mounted spring 40. A lower bracket 42 is connected to the end of rod 38. A pair of freely rotating wheels 44 are mounted in an axis normal to the lateral plane of the opening device 12. Another pair of wheels 48 are mounted on the ends of pivoted arms 46. These wheels 48 extend somewhat further than the wheels 44. Arms '46 are pivotally connected to struts 50 which are pivotally connected to freely rotating threaded collar 52.

As is well known in the art, as the tubular fabric F in a wet condition is pulled from the container 26 after having been through the various wet-processing steps, it is in a longitudinally stretched twisted rope configuration. The opening device 12 as above described helps to open the rope formed tubular fabric into a laterally extended flat tube of material. If the fabric F being fed should be knotted or twisted such that it would tear before being open by the opening device 12, the arms 46 pivot upwardly aganst the moving collar 52 against the spring 40.

Spaced upwardly from the pivoting arms 46 and the wheels 48 of the opening device is a ring spreader 56 of the type described in detail in application No. 763,182, filed Sept. 2.7, 1968, Edward A. Aronoff, and now abandoned.

If the ring spreader 56 is used in combination with the opening device 12, an initial lateral stretching is thus given the fabric.

The driven roller 14 comprises a large cylindrical member 58 which is fixed to a drive shaft 59 and about which is provided a soft fabric covering 60. The driven roller 14 pulls the fabric upwardly from the container 26 through the opening device 12 and past it through a compensating device, comprising a compensating roller '62 normally laying on the flattened tubular fabric F. The compensating device includes a counterbalanced subframe 64. This sub-frame 64 includes side frame members 66 and a pivoting shaft 68 fixed to the side members 66. On the free ends of side members 66 are provided counter weights 70. These counter weights can, of course, be adjusted.

The fabric then passes over an idler roller 72 and then begins its downward gravitational descent over the roller 76 which deflects it into a vertical plane substantially aligned with the overstretching device 16.

The flattened tubular fabric F then passes through 4 the positioning means 15 which include, as shown more specifically in FIGS. 11 through 14, track decks 80 and 82, respectively, to each upstanding side member 78 of the frame on either side of the fabric, and curved guide tracks 84 and 86 mounted in a horizontal plane on the track decks 80 and 82. A pair of parallel fabric-guide rods 88, having wheels 90 mounted at each end thereof are kept in parallel relationship by bearing blocks 92 and 94 connecting the ends thereof and located on the track decks 80 and 82, respectively. The wheels 90 travel in the tracks 84 and 86. A lateral control bar 96 is connecetd to the respective bearing blocks 92 and 94 by means of links 98 and 100. The control bar 96 is fixed to a pivot shaft 102 which is journalled in the frame 104 and spacer 106 which can be fixed thereto. A bar 108 is fixedly connected to the other end of the shaft 102 and it is in turn connected to a link 110 which is pivoted to a manual lever 112. Manual lever 112 is pivoted to the upstanding frame member 78 and can be associated with a marking gauge 114 to determine the degree of angle that the positioning means 15 is out of the normal vertical plane of the fabric.

In normal operation, the flattened fabric is passed down over the roller 76 towards the overstretching form 16 and it sometimes occurs that the stripes or design in the fabric indicate that the fabric is slowly spiralling. By moving the manual lever 112 a few degrees one way or another, the link 110 will transmit this pivoting movement of the lever to bar 108 which is fixed to the bottom of the shaft 102. This rotates the shaft 102 slightly which in turn causes the fixed bar 96 to move about the axis of the shaft 102. This causes the links 98 and 100 to move the bearing blocks 92 and 94 as the wheels 90 move in the tracks 84 and 86, respectively, causing the parallel rods 88 to turn the flattened fabric, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 11. Therefore, if the pattern of the flattened tubular fabric tends to spiral counterclockwise, a slight clockwise shift of the parallel rods 88 will cause the pattern in the fabric to tend towards a straighened position. As the flattened tubular fabric F passes the positioning means 15, it arrives at the entry end of the overstretching form 16.

Referring to FIGS. 5 through 7 of the drawings, the splined stretching device 16 is first provided with a pair of guide rods and 122 extending laterally between the frame member 78. A dual thread screw 124 also passes between the frame members 78 and can be turned by a hand wheel 125. Finally, there is a drive rod 126 which extends parallel to the screw 124 and the guide rods 120 and 122. The guide rods 120 and 122, the screw 124 and the drive rod 126 all pass through a pair of transmission boxes 128 and 130. These boxes 128 and 130 are adapted to slide on the guide rods 122 and 122 and both have screw-threaded openings which engage the dual threaded screw to move towards or away from each other in response to a turn on the hand wheel 125.

The drive rod 126 is connected to wheel 132 through a conventional gear arrangement, for example an internally splined gear wheel 123 cooperates with splined rod 126 and in turn meshes with a gear 123 fixed to shaft 123". The shaft 123" mounts the drive wheel 132. Drive wheel 134 is driven similarly from drive rod 126.

A pair of side members 136 and 138 which are held apart by a spacer frame rod 164 can be positioned between the drive wheels 132 and 134. These side members each include a pair of spaced-apart housing plates 140 and 141 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, which extend the length of the side members and which are suitably stepped as shown in these drawings. At the entry end of the side members, there is provided a shaft 142 which mounts freely rotating entry wheel 144. Stub shaft and pulleys 146 are provided adjacent the entry wheel 144, while a stub shaft and supporting wheels 148 are provided near the center of the side member. The stub shaft and pulleys 150 are provided at a distance slightly spaced from the shaft and wheels 148 so that drive wheels 132 and 134 seat between the shoulders formed by the wheels 148 and 150. Finally, a stub shaft and pulley 152 is provided near the discharge end of the side members. Of course, a number of supporting idler wheels 154 are located along the length of the side members to minimize friction contact of the belts with stationary parts of the side members. On each side member, there is a pair of endless belts 156 and 158 of fairly large diameter which pass over the shaft and pulleys 146 and over the shaft and pulleys 150, after having passed over the supporting pulleys 148. There is also a guide rod 151 between the belts 156 and 158 near the entry end of the form.

The guide rods 151 are parallel to, but spaced outwardly somewhat from, the belts 156 and 158 near the entry end of each side member, and help to stretch the fabric over the belts 156 and 158 so that as the fabric advances on the belts of the side elements some slack will have been provided in the fabric engaged between the belts 156 and 158 to be taken up as the fabric is being stretched laterally. This is in order to minimize the damage to the loops of the fabric as it is being stretched laterally.

A belt 160 begins its run about the shaft and pulleys 150 and passes around the shaft and pulleys 152 at the discharge end of the form. Finally, an adjustable discharge guide member 162 is provided at the discharge end of the side members. The guide member 162 is adjustable by means of screw 163 being a pivot screw and screw 163' a tightening screw fitting in a curved slot 163" in the guide member 162. The guide member 162 is adjustable by means of screws 163, one being a pivot screw, the other fitting in a curved slot in the guide member 162. The pulleys 146 and 150 are of a diameter relatively larger than the pulleys mounting the belt 160 from the pulleys 150 to 152. In other words, on the shaft and pulleys 150, there are provided three pulleys 150a, 150b and 150c with the middle pulley 150b mounting the belt 160 being smaller than the two other pulleys 150a and 1500 supporting the belts 156 and 158.

In view of this, as is well known in the art, since the drive wheels 132 and 134 press against the belts between the pulleys 148 and 150, the speed at which belt 160 will travel will be less than the speed at which the belts 156 and 158 will run.

It should also be noted that the axis of the side frame member 136 and 138 are generally at an angle from the longitudinal axis of the path of travel of the fabric and diverge outwardly from the entry end to the discharge end of the form. In other words, as the tubular fabric arrives at the entry end of the form, the distance between the wheels 144 of respective side members is almost the same as the width of the flattened tubular fabric. As it is drawn on the form by the belts 156 and 158, the fabric stretches laterally gradually until it reaches a portion of the side members by the driving wheels 132 and 134 which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis and at this point, the speed changes as the fabric engages the slower belts 160, reducing the advance of the fabric as its loops are being stretched laterally. The side members 136 and 138 have further diverging portions past the parallel mid-portions adjacent the belts 160 Finally, there is a further parallel portion near the discharge end on which the fabric is allowed to run on the side member portion at a constant width.

Of course, the fabric is allowed to relax after it comes off the discharge end of the form. In this manner, it is believed that the fabric can be considerably overstretched, past the normal Width of the tubular fabric, and then allowed to relax back to its predetermined width. With the prior art Spreaders, particularly as shown in Cebu, the side members on which the belts are mounted were almost parallel rather than diverging as are the present side members of the form and are considerably longer and 6 therefore did not allow overstretching widthwise of the fabric without damaging the threads. As can be seen in the present application, the fabric is gradually overstretched for only a short longitudinal distance, that is, before leaving the discharge end of the form.

The fabric then encounters the take-off rolls 18 which include parallel rolls 167 and 169 which are journalled in bearings 171, and 173 at one end and are connected to meshing gear wheels and 177. Gear 175 is fixed to the same shaft as that mounting roll 167 and sprocket 176. Rolls 167 and 169 are driven and help to take off the fabric from the form and lay it on the conveyor belt 20 which takes the fabric to its next finishing step. It is noted that as the flattened fabric rides on the conveyor belt, there are no longitudinal or lateral forces acting on it.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, reference will now be made to the drive mechanism which drives the various parts of the wet spreading apparatus. First of all, there is a motor and gear unit box 170 in the lower part of the frame as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. There are two drive outlets, one which is a sprocket 172 in which all the driven elements, with the exception of the lateral overstretching form 16, are driven. There is an outlet drive sprocket 224 which alone drives the spreading or overstretching form 16. Starting from sprocket 172, there is a chain 174 which passes over sprocket 176 which drivesv the take-01f rolls 18 and which is also connected to a sprocket 178 driving a chain 180 which in turn drives a small sprocket 182. Fixed to the sprocket 182 is a large diameter pulley 184 as well as a small diameter pulley 196. An endless belt 186 passes over the large diameter pulley 184 and over a pulley 188, which is connected to the optional ring spreading means 56. Belt crank arm 190 having pulleys 192 is arranged with the belt 186 by which operation of the hand wheel 194 connected to the belt chank tightens the belt 186 so as to engage the pulley 188 and apply drive to the ring spreading means 56 or to loosen the belt 186 so that no drive is communicated to the ring spreading mechanism 56.

Belt 198 passes over the sprocket pulley 196 and over a large diameter pulley 200. Pulley 200 is fixedly con nected to a pulley 202, as well as a sprocket 212. Pulley 202 mounts a belt 204 which passes about one half of a dual spring loaded clutch pulley 206. A second belt 208 passes about the other half of dual pulley 206 and pulley 210 which is fixed to the shaft on which is fixed the drive roller 14. The compensating device including the compensating roller 62, the side members and the sub-frame 64 are connected in the conventional manner to the dual pulley 206 in order to either speed u the drive of the drive roller 14 or to slow down the drive depending on the amount of tension sensed by the compensating roller 62 as a result of the feed on the overstretching frame 16.

A chain 214 goes about the sprocket 212 and drives a sprocket 216 mounted on a portion of the frame carrying the conveyor 20. The large sprocket 218 is fixedly connected to sprocket 216 and drives a smaller sprocket 222 of the conveyor platform by means of the chain 220.

Finally, sprocket 224 on the gear box 170 drives the chain 226 to turn the sprocket 228 fixedly mounted to shaft 126 of the overstretching form 16.

In operation, as the fabric F is driven from the container 26, it passes over the wheels 44 and 48 of the opening device 12 which causes the wet rope of the fabric to open into a normal flattened tube. The fabric then passes onto the drive roller 14 and is fed by the drive roller 14 past the compensator 62 which lies on it and over the idler 72 and then is deflected by the idler 76 past the positioning means 15 onto the stretching frame 16.

The compensator 62 operates such that when the stretching means pulls on the tubular fabric, tension is sensed through the fabric by means of the compensator which will rise clockwise and which will by means of an eccentric shaft or other means (not shown) vary the dual pulley 206 by reducing the diameter on one half of the pulley While increasing the diameter on the other half, causing the belt 208 connected to the roller 14 to speed up the drive roller 14 which overfeeds the fabric towards the spreading device and as soon as the rate of feed of the fabric spreading device overcomes the tension created at the spreading device, the compensator will sense this reduction in tension and move counterclockwise thus reducing the speed of said drive roller 14.

The operation of the positioning means has already been described.

From the overstretching form 16, the drive is fed from the sprocket 228 through the drive shaft 126 through the transmission boxes 128 and 130 and up through to the drive wheels 132 and 134, respectively, which in turn engages the fabric and underneath the fabric, the belts 156, 158 and 160 in order to drive these belts and cause the belts to feed the fabric over the overstretching form. Since, as the fabric is being overstretched, its forward advance is considerably reduced, it is necessary to overfeed at the inlet end of the overstretching form 16 in such a manner that enough fabric is always fed forward on the belts to make up for the loss length in the fabric as the fabric is being extended widthwise. If at any given moment, there is a shortage of fabric on the belt, tension will be created along the length of the belt from the driven roller 14 to the overstretching frame.

Take-off rolls 18 take off the fabric from the discharge end of the overstretching form and lay it on the conveyor 20.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for treating a tubular knitted fabric which has been longitudinally distorted due to excessive longitudinal tension prior to finishing, by laterally distorting the tubular fabric beyond its normal finished condition for neutralizing the effect of the excessive longitudinal distortion, comprising in combination:

frame means;

feeding means on said frame for continuously supplying fabric at a predetermined linear speed; adjustable positioning means on said frame means downstream of said feeding means for guiding unfinished fabric in free descent toward a stretching station and maintaining the fabric in a predetermined vertical plane, and stretcher means at said stretcher station in the vertical plane maintained beneath said positioning means for receiving the freely descending fabric,

said stretcher means including stretcher portions for engaging inner surfaces of the fabric in opposed relation within the freely descending fabric for laterally stretching the fabric while moving the fabric longitudinally at a linear speed less than said predetermined linear speed, said stretcher portions including means for laterally stretching said fabric beyond a normal finished condition so that it moves at a linear speed less than the linear speed at which the fabric is initially stretched on said stretcher means.

2. An apparatus asdefined in claim 1 wherein the stretcher means comprises a fabric entry end and a fabric discharge end, a pair of side elements diverging outwardly from the entry end to the discharge end, and at an angle to the longitudinal. axis of the path of travel of the fabric in the vertical plane of the freely descending fabric, each side element mounting successively located endless belts mounted on pulleys on said elements, the belts being adapted to contact the inner surfaces of the freely descending tubular fabric, drive means cooperating with said belts for driving said successive belts and said fabric passing thereover at differential speeds, said endless belts and pulleys being mounted on each said side element and arranged such that there are two pairs of axial pulleys and a pair of belts cooperating therewith, a third pair of pulleys and a third belt cooperating with said third pair of pulleys, and said third pair of pulleys and third belt being located nearer to said discharge portion of said side elements and said two pairs of pulleys and pair of belts are located nearer said entry portion of the stretcher means, the pulley of said third pair which is most distant from said discharge end located between a coaxial pair of pulleys of said two pair of pulleys.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said positioning means includes a pair of parallel guide surfaces defining a gap therebetween extending laterally across the vertical plane of the freely descending fabric such that the fabric passes through the gap defined by said parallel guide surfaces, said parallel guide surfaces being adapted for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axi of the path of the freely descending fabric to maintain the fabric in said vertical plane and to correct spiralling which might occur in the tubular fabric.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which the positioning means includes a pair of parallel rods defining a gap therebetween and being journalled in a pair of bearing blocks, one on each side of the plane of the freely descending fabric, slide means being provided near each end of the guide rods, and adapted to travel in a curved guide track provided on the frame adjacent the bearing blocks on either side of the path of the fabric, the bearing blocks being linked to a control bar parallel to the guide rods, said control bar being pivoted centrally, manual means for moving the control bar about its pivot axis thereby moving the guide rods which are linked parallel thereto about the longitudinal axis of the path of the fabric.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,088 7/1910 Chatfield 26-55 2,110,520 3/1938 Cunnius 2655 2,189,166 2/1940 Cohn et al. 2655 2,192,880 3/1940' Cohn et al. 2655 2,503,705 4/1950 Blumenbaum et a1 2655 2,714,756 8/1955 Redman 2655 X 2,773,296 12/1956 Cohn et al. 26P-55 3,015,146 1/1962 Cohn et al. 2655 X 3,175,272 3/1965 Cohn et al. 2655 2,171,741 9/1939 Cohn et al 261 FOREIGN PATENTS 450,647 7/1949 Italy 2655 1,041,051 9/1966 Great Britain 26-56 ROBERT R. MACKEY, Primary Examiner 

